New Delhi, Feb 11 (IANS) The Supreme Court on Friday declined to entertain a PIL seeking introduction of a common syllabus and curriculum for children across India.
Senior advocate Ranjit Kumar, representing advocate Ashwini Kumar Upadhyay, submitted before a bench headed by Justice L. Nageswara Rao that there has to be a national curriculum.
Counsel contended that the exclusion of the Right to Education (RTE) Act on certain institutions was creating a religious impression on the children as eight to 16 years was a crucial age.
After a brief hearing in the matter, the bench, also comprising Justice B.R. Gavai, told the petitioner’s counsel that it is not keen on entertaining the plea and allowed Upadhyay to approach the high court.
The plea said sections 1 (4) and 1 (5) of the RTE Act are the biggest barrier in expounding the Constitution and the absence of a common curriculum in mother language leads to the fostering and perpetuation of ignorance, the plea said.
Upadhyay argued that the Central government inserted Section 1(4) and 1(5) of the RTE Act to deprive educational excellence to Madrasas, Vedic Pathsalas, and educational institutions, which impart religious instructions.
“The prevailing system does not provide equal opportunity to all children as the syllabus and curriculum varies for EWS, BPL, MIG, HIG and elite class. It is necessary to state that purposive and harmonious construction of Article 14, 15, 16, 21, 21A with Articles 38, 39, 46 of the Constitution which confirm that education is a basic right of every child and the State cannot discriminate the most important right,” said the plea.
–IANS
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